Dreams
by Loyce
Summary: Dreams are the deepest desires of the soul, so what happens when your dreams don't match the path fate has planned for you? Rogue must come to terms with the newest manifestation of her powers and how her life is about to change.
1. Dreams

Disclaimer: I don't know the X-men, so please don't sue. This is for pure enjoyment and I make no $$$ from my stories.  
  
Dreams: Chapter 1  
  
Her dreams are always the same.  
  
True, the location changed from dream to dream but it was always the same dream. Sometimes it was Ancient Rome, Medieval Europe or present day New York. This time she was on the beach.  
  
She walked along the water's edge. The bottom of her green sundress plastered against her calves due to some errant waves coming in with the tide. The sky above her was painted vibrant shades of blue and purple, as the sun barley hung on to the twilight. Stars began making their nightly appearance.  
  
Sandals dangling from her hands, Rogue turned her face up to the stars and let the wind blow through her hair. She loved it when the breeze tossed her hair in different directions, like her hair had a life of its own: like it was free.   
  
To be free of her powers was a dream for her. Her team-members, the X-men, knew that she dealt with her powers and had somewhat come to accept them, but they didn't realize that every time she closed her eyes, she could only think about what life would be like without her powers. She could be free to be with the one that she loved.  
  
Just the thought of him sent a shiver up her spine. Rogue knew that he would be here, somewhere, after all she had this dream before. She knew that she was searching for him and would always find him, just around the corner, and sure enough she was right.  
  
Perched on a rock, surrounded by the breaking waves of the incoming tide sat Remy LeBeau. He knew how to make an entrance, for Remy (a.k.a. Gambit) had a flare for the dramatics. Rogue had to stop herself from grinning like a fool at the thought.  
  
With him sitting there, the ocean and the twilight backdrop, every thing seemed magical to her. She slowed her pace and eventually came to a stop so she could study him. His red eyes were focused on the troubled sea, his elbows set on his knees with his hands clasped in front of him. He wore is shaggy brown hair down, dancing in the breeze. His pants were black and he had on an unbuttoned white shirt on and he was barefoot.   
  
Remy looked like a pirate. 'A pirate that stole mah heart' Rogue thought to herself. But she knew the truth, her heart had always belonged to him. Probably since the first time they met. Sure, things didn't get off to a good start and there had been some major bumps along the way, but she always knew in her heart that they would find each other.   
  
Finally, he turned to her. Remy's gaze stay on her for what seemed like an eternity before he jumped off the rock and started towards her. Rogue felt her heart start to beat faster and her stomach started to do flips the closer he came. Those eyes of his felt like they were staring into her soul, and she trembled. Not from the chill in the air, but from the intense look in his eyes.  
  
'Hi there chere.' the sound of amusement was definitely in his voice.  
'Hi Remy.' To Rogue, her voice sounded breathless.  
'I've been lookin' for ya. I've been waitin for ya.'  
'Ah know, Remy.' she answered  
  
She took a tentative step toward him, closing the distance between them. He reached out and caught a look of her auburn-white streaked hair that had blown in front of her face and casually tucked it behind her ear. Looking deep into his eyes, she spoke the words from her heart.  
  
'Remy, Ah love you. Ah've always have and always will.'  
  
Closing her eyes, she leaned forward to kiss him. She wanted to feel his lips on hers again, it had been so long since she last felt his touch. After a few seconds, Rogue opens her eyes to notice that Remy has disappeared.  
  
'Remy, where are you? Ah need you.......'  
*********************************************  
  
Shooting straight up in bed, Rogue shakes her head to clear her jumbled thoughts. Placing her head in her hands, she thinks about the all to clear meaning of her dream. Lately, these dreams have been more frequent and Remy keeps disappearing sooner and sooner.  
  
Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she untangled her T-shirt from around her body. Turning toward the side of the bed, the clock stared back at her shouting it was 3:30 am. Coming to the conclusion that sleep would elude her for the rest of the night or morning, she grabbed the glass of water from the bedside table and walk to the balcony of her hotel room.  
  
New Orleans was hot and muggy on this October night. The weather matched Rogue's mood: troubled. As the rain began to fall she was aware of the silent tears upon her face. She loved him, really loved him. Kind of hard to believe given the fact that she could not touch him and show him what he meant to her. But Remy tried to show her that, even without touch, that he could still love her. And what had she done? Each time she had turned away from him. There had been times when certain circumstances had led her to make that choice, but she was tired of running away from him, and the love that he had given to her.   
  
Staring out into the night, Rogue wondered if she would be strong enough to face him.  
  
'Remy, Ah need you. Where could ya possibly be?'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Dreams

Disclaimer: I don't know the X-men, so please don't sue. This is for pure enjoyment and I make no $$$ from my stories.  
  
Dreams: Chapter 2  
  
The small bathroom filled up very quickly with steam. Accustomed to taking luke-warm showers, Remy welcomed the feel of the scalding water against his skin. With his hands braced against the cool tile in front of him, he hung his head and let the water dance along his body. Relaxing for a moment, Remy closed his eyes and let his mind wander.  
  
He could see it so clearly: his own secluded mountain haven. A lush green canopy, cut by a series of small waterfalls and all of it warmed by the summer sun. Sitting behind the waterfalls, his back leaning against the cool, damp stone, his eyes drifting closed. Listening to the sound of the water as it cascaded down the small falls, ending up in the pond where his feet rested. He could feel the chilly spray of the water as it bounced off the rocks in front of him, landing on his face.   
  
After a while, he opened his eyes to notice the outline of a figure standing on the opposite side of the falls. As the figure came closer, curiosity got the better of him and he slowly rose and walked toward the fall. A small hand reached through the water and landed on his chest. A woman's hand, that proceeded to move its way upward, taking its time to memorize the feel of his body. Soft fingers burned a trail into his skin from his chest up to his face. Once the hand reached his face, it gently caressed his cheek and rubbed its thumb over his lips. And that's when she walked through the water to join him on the other side.  
  
Her auburn-white hair plastered to her face. Those green eyes staring up at him, looking into him. Her soaking wet white dress, molded to every curve of her body, leaving nothing up to the imagination. She reminded him of a Greek goddess or water nymph. He was rendered speechless...but she wasn't.  
  
"Hello Remy." Rogue said as she raised up on her toes, to place a kiss on his....  
  
"Whoa!" Remy declared as his eyes snapped open. The constant stream of cold water from the faucet announced to him exactly how long he had been in the shower. He had fallen asleep.   
  
Wrapping a towel loosely around his waist, Remy walked from his bathroom to the window in his bedroom. Throwing open the curtains, he stood there and let the morning sun help to re-warm him. He chuckled at himself, he had fallen asleep in the shower and what did he dream about : HER.  
  
He always dreamed about Rogue.  
  
Her eyes...He could tell so much by looking into their emerald depths. She tried so hard to hide her emotions from everyone, but even when she hid them very carefully, he could always tell her true feelings just by staring into her eyes.  
  
Her hair... When it was long, it was a wild mess of curls and tangles. Kind of like Rogue herself. Wild. Now she opted for a shorter cut, trying to give off a more grown up look, she was still as untamed and wild as the first time they met.  
  
Her smile... Whenever she flashed her smile, any man nearby could feel his heart stop beating. Her smile lights up her face and brings a warmth to her sometimes distant demeanor. She is absolutely beautiful, especially when she turns her smile on him.  
  
But most importantly: Her touch. The feel of her warm skin. Although he only experienced her touch for a short while, he found it more intoxicating then any drink he could ever find on Bourbon Street. No matter what else occurred in any of his dreams, her touch was the one constant thing. He always dreamed about her touch.  
  
Sighing heavily, he pushed away from the window and moved toward the dresser.  
After pulling on a pair of faded blue jeans and a cotton black T-shirt, Remy left his room and strolled down the hallway. Coming upon another door, he stopped and drew a ragged breath.  
  
He had gone AWOL from the team about three days ago, after completing his latest mission. Not that the Professor minded since he was used to Remy's sudden departures without explanation. As long as he completed the mission, the Prof wouldn't have a fit.... but he knew someone would. And that person would be on the other side of that door.   
  
Remy honestly thought about not knocking on Rogue's door and going straight down for breakfast, but he knew there would be hell to pay later if he didn't at least let her know he was back and okay.  
  
"Chere, it's Remy. Ya awake in der?" He asked as he softly rapped on her door.  
  
No answer.  
  
Checking the knob, and finding it unlocked, he slowly pushed the door open a crack and peered inside.  
  
  



	3. Dreams

Disclaimer: I don't know the X-men, so please don't sue. This is for pure enjoyment and I make no $$$ from my stories.  
  
Dreams: Chapter 3  
  
The curtains were drawn back from the window, letting in the same sun that he stood in only moments before. Her room was exceptional clean, especially for Rogue. Her bed was made, clothes put into the hamper, even her bathroom was cleaned.   
  
Everything was in its place, except for Rogue.   
  
Walking into her bedroom, he casually strolled toward the dresser and the silver framed picture that sat on top. Remy smiled as he ran his hand across the image inside the frame.   
  
The picture had been taken the previous Christmas. He had caught Rogue under the mistletoe. She had been leaning against the doorway that morning, cup of coffee in hand, wearing a hunter green sweater, a pair of faded blue jeans and fuzzy bunny slippers. He still chuckled at the thought of her wearing the bunny slippers. Those slippers were such a contrast from her normal harder-than-nails attitude, they showed the real Rogue. He had walked over to her under the mistletoe and gave her a Christmas present from him: a silver picture frame and silver locket. With the fully decorated Christmas tree as the back-drop, he and Rogue had posed for the picture. Instead of having a picture of them kissing, such as Christmas tradition goes, (like he had dreamed about), he had stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist, his face as close to hers as possibly could be without touching. They were both smiling. And she had put a copy of the picture in both the frame and locket.  
  
Placing the picture back onto the dresser, Remy blew it a kiss. Silently, Remy closed the door to her room and headed downstairs.  
  
**********************************************************  
  
Remy entered the kitchen, smile on his face, hoping to find Rogue, but instead he found Storm poking her head in the refrigerator. Storm, one of the few people that he can honestly call a friend.  
  
"So, how are ya doin', Stormy?" Remy asked with amusement in his voice.  
  
Storm dropped the carton of milk that she was holding, when his voice broke through the silence in the kitchen.   
  
"Remy, you should know better than to sneak up on a person, especially if that person is the one making breakfast this morning." Accepting the paper towels he was handing her she added, "So where have you been this time?"  
  
When Storm turned to face him, Remy was leaning up against the counter top. He flashed her a killer smile and calmly answered, "Everywhere petite. So where is everybody?"  
  
"Well...Scott, Jean and the Professor are off to a conference; Hank is at the hospital; Logan left on his next mission and I am here to watch over things while everyone is gone."  
  
"Where is Rogue?"  
  
"Remy, you must be hungry. Why don't we have some breakfast before you take off again."  
  
"Take off again?? Storm, where is Rogue??"  
  
Storm sighed. Turning from him, she walked over and sat down at the kitchen table. Folding her hands together, she looked up at him.  
  
"She left about three days ago. Didn't tell anyone where she was going. She just packed a bag and left. You know Remy, I am beginning to believe that some of your bad habits are rubbing off on her."   
  
"What...."  
  
Storm interrupted, "I thought that you should look for her first before I alert the whole team. You probably have a good idea of where she was headed and why she left."  
  
Storm could tell that he was just as surprised to hear she had disappeared as she was when she went to find out why Rogue hadn't come to breakfast three days ago. Her heart went out to the both of them, they had been through so much.  
Remy broke the silence.  
  
"Ah have no idea why she left, but Ah have a pretty good idea where she is."  
  
And with that, he pushed away from the counter and strode towards the doorway.  
  
"So I guess you won't be staying for breakfast?" Storm asked.  
  
Her answer was the sound of Remy's retreating footsteps.   
  
  
  



	4. Dreams

Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel or the X-men. Nor do I own the Creole Queen, Riverwalk, the Café Du Monde. However, they do exist in New Orleans. I do however own the journal entry. That is about the only thing that is mine.   
  
Dreams   
Chapter 4  
  
Someone once told me that if you wanted a perfect metaphor for life; look toward the ocean.  
For the most part, life is pretty constant, like the gentle rolling of the tides; life is a balance between the high points and the low points.  
Every drop of water causes a ripple in the ocean, just like every event we experience affects our lives.  
Sometimes the storms roll in and stir things up.  
There are times when the waves break too close to the shore and crash down upon us. And we have to pick ourselves back up before the next wave knocks us even further down.  
There are times when the rip tide pulls us out, and we get lost in the enormity of life, and we wonder if we will ever make it back to shore.  
Well, right now, I feel caught in that rip tide.  
  
Sighing, Rogue set the pen down on the desk and slowly closed her journal. Raising her arms above her head, she tried to work out the kinks in her sore muscles.  
  
Yawning, she pushed back the chair and headed toward the shower of her small hotel room. She had spent most of the day exploring the streets of New Orleans.  
  
'What had Remy said about this place? Something about being able to forget all of your cares.' And she had, just for one day.  
  
There had been the riverboat ride on the Creole Queen; shopping along the Riverwalk; watching the street performers in Jackson Square; and beignets at Café Du Monde. She had been so wrapped up in the livelihood of the Big Easy, that she had forgotten about her problems, until night fell across the city.   
  
To this day, Rogue was still uncomfortable in crowds. And who could really blame her, one touch and she could absorb a person's energy and memories. So, for a while, she was content to sit and watch the people interact on Bourbon Street. But when the green-eyed monster called Jealousy began to surface, she retreated to the solitude of her room.  
  
The hot spray of the water against her body was a welcome feeling. Standing under the faucet, Rogue could let her guard down and not have to worry about contact with other people.  
  
She smiled as she remembered the first time she took a shower at the mansion and used all of the hot water. "Boy, Jean was fit to be tied." She chuckled. Thank God, no one ever complained about the water bill.  
  
After using up most of the hot water, Rogue stepped from the stall, dried herself and threw on a T-shirt. While she put her hair into a towel turban, she walked out of the bathroom and over to the bed. Propping up the pillows, Rogue settled in for a long night of TV.  
  
**********************************************************  
  
The TV was still on when he came into the room, through the balcony, but she was fast asleep.  
  
'She sure did live it up today.' He thought as a smile crept across his face. From the shadows, he had watched her fall into the normal 'tourist traps' of New Orleans.  
  
Remy thought she had spotted him at Café Du Monde. He had been sitting in the corner of the outdoor patio, newspaper concealing his face from her view. She had just taken her first bite of beignet, when she sneezed. Powdered sugar covered her face. Of course, he had laughed and barely had enough time to move the paper back into place before she turned her gaze in his general direction.  
  
From a nearby alleyway, he had watched her sit and stare at Bourbon Street as it came alive earlier that night. And now, he stood by her bed, staring down at her, watching the silent rise and fall of her chest as she slept.  
  
'Why'd ya run, Chere? Are ya hidin' somet'ing from Remy?'  
  
He walked over to the nightstand, picked up the remote and turned off the TV. Slowly, he pulled the covers over her sleeping form. Leaning down close to her face, he whispered, "I'll be right here. In da mornin', ya will tell Remy what's been troublin' ya."  
  
He strode from the bedroom to the balcony. Once outside, he sat down in the cast iron chair, put his feet up on the table, pulled out a cigarette and waited for dawn.   
  
**********************************************************  
  
Sunlight streamed through the lacy curtains and played across her face. Slowly, Rogue can out of her slumber. After some cat like stretches, she found her way to the in-room coffee maker. Five minutes later, with a hot cup of coffee in hand, she opened the sliding glass door and stepped out onto the balcony.  
  
The October morning had a chill in the air, but it didn't bother her. Closing her eyes, Rogue tossed her head back and let the cool morning breeze dance on her face.  
  
"Did anyone ever tell ya how beautifully ya look in the mornin'?" Remy's chuckle was barely heard over the sound of the coffee cup shattering on the floor.  
  
"Remy LeBeau, dina anyone ever teach ya not to sneak up on a person before their first cup of coffee?" Rogue said, turning her emerald glare in his direction.   
  
'Whatcha doin' here, Remy? I haven't even had a chance to deal with my new personal demons... that's why you're here, isn't it?' She thought as she began picking up the shards of the broken cup.  
  
As if he read her thought, his face took on a serious expression. "I've been lookin' for ya, Chere. Storm is worried about ya, sent me out to bring ya home."  
  
"Well, ya found me. Ah'm fine. Make sure to let Storm know that when ya get back to the mansion." She shot over her shoulder as she walked back into the hotel room.  
  
Remy followed her. "No, you're not fine. You've been more distant and withdrawn over the past couple of months then you've ever been before. Whatcha hidin' Rogue?"  
  
She turned and looked up into his eyes. 'Why did you have to find out this way?' A tear slid down her cheek as she lifted up her hand, as if to caress his face, and quickly dropped it again.  
  
"My powers..."  
"Rogue, we have been through dis before. Your powers have never bothered me before..."  
  
"NO!" She interrupted. "Listen to me! About two months ago, I started to feel...I don't know...kind of weird. So Professor Xavier started running test and ..." She spun away from him and marched to the dresser, bracing against it for support.  
  
"And what, Rogue? What did the Prof find?"  
  
Wiping the tears from her eyes, she looked up and said, "My powers have turned on me, Remy. They are slowly draining the life out of me."  
  



	5. Dreams

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-men.  
  
A/N: Here's a key that will help make the story a little bit easier to read:  
' ' Thought  
" "Spoken word  
  
Dreams  
Chapter 5  
  
He was silent. Not an angry silent, but a disbelieving silent. Remy carefully looked over at the sleep woman next to him.  
  
Wearing a pair of faded jeans and a long sleeve button down shirt, she sat, curled up in a ball in the copilot chair beside him. Her white bangs had fallen in her face, blocking her tear stained face from his gaze.  
  
How he wished that he could reach over and push her hair out of the way and wipe away the teardrops from her face. But he couldn't; he knew that; and it was killing him.  
  
Sighing, Remy turned his attention back out the window. He hadn't expected this, never in a million years. With six small words, Rogue had changed his entire outlook on life. After she declared that her powers had turned against her; she had collapsed against the dresser. Grabbing the blanket off the bed, he had wrapped her in it, carried her onto the balcony and held her close as she cried herself to sleep.  
  
He sat there like that, holding her close to his heart for the entire day. Not once did he think of putting her down; for he needed to hold her, even if it was through a blanket. For the first time in his life, he felt utterly helpless.  
  
Watching the clouds blow by the window, Remy thought about fate and destiny. Why had they both decided to deal Rogue and himself an awful hand of cards? The cards that they had been dealt would have made most gamblers fold before the first bet. But they had played with what was handed to them, but would it cost Rogue her life?  
  
The beeping sound of the X-jet coming off the autopilot brought Remy out of his thoughts.  
  
Slowly, with one hand, Remy reached over to her and grabbed her clothed shoulder. "Chere, we're home."  
  
Though her eyes popped open, her green gaze was still clouded with sleep. "Already? Whad ya do, break the all-time speed record gettin us home?" A small smile crossed her face, but quickly faded as the mansion came into view. Rogue kept her eyes focused out the window in front of her; the silence returned.  
  
Remy wanted to tell her something that would assure her, but for once, he was at a loss for words. 'What does someone tell the person they love when they're dying? I know that telling her "Everything will be all right" would be a bold-faced lie, for I don't know if they will or not.' He gave himself a mental shake. He hadn't come to terms with what she had told; probably never would. But he would be there, helping her every way that he could.  
  
"Remy, ya pull on that anymore and ya'll have to land the jet without it."  
  
Looking down, Remy noticed his white-knuckled grip on the steering column. He loosened his grip on the controls and flashed her a casual smile. "Just making sure ya hadn't fallen asleep on me again, Petite."  
  
With little effort, Remy landed the jet in the hidden hanger. As he flipped off the switches, he notices Rogue's defeated look.  
  
'I can't go in there and pretend that everything's fine when it isn't. No one will believe me after the way that I took off.' Hanging her head in her hands, Rogue held of the urge to cry. 'Crying won't do you any good.' Running her shaky hands through her short auburn hair, she tried to regain her composure.  
  
Remy crouched down beside her. "I have no idea what you're goin through, Chere. But ya can't keep it bottled up inside ya. The X-Men take care of their own, right? Let us help you." Turning her face toward his with a gloved hand, he added, "Let me help you."  
  
A solitary tear fell down her face. "Okay, Remy." He rose as she stood up. For a moment, they stared at each other.  
  
'I need you, Remy.'  
'I'll always be there for you, Rogue.'  
  
Putting his arm around her shoulders, Remy lead her off the plane and into the mansion.  
  
****************  
  
She was happy to find the mansion deserted. She didn't want to deal with the puzzled looks and questioning gazes she would be subjected to.  
  
Sighing a breath of relief, Rogue followed Remy into the kitchen. She sat down on one of the stool to the breakfast bar while Remy rummaged through the refrigerator and cabinets.  
  
"Ya haven't eaten in two days. Remy, make you some lunch. Ya need to keep up your strength."  
  
Rogue smiled as he continued to open and close various cabinets in the kitchen. "Ya'd think wit all the people livin here, there'd be plenty of food in dis place." Finally, he was able to locate some bread, cold-cuts and mustard. Shrugging his shoulders, he said, "Dis ain't no Po-Boy, but it'll do for now." Within a couple of minutes, he plopped down a huge sandwich in front of her.  
  
She wasn't at all hungry, but she didn't have the heart to turn away the meal he made for her. Slowly, she picked up the sandwich and took a bite. She laughed as she said, "Ya know somethin Cajun, you're not half bad in the kitchen."  
  
"Why thank you, Chere."  
  
The rest of the meal was taken in silence. When she couldn't force herself to eat anymore, she pushed the plate toward him. "Remy, Ah'm stuffed." He only looked at her for a second before grabbing the plate, throwing away the rest of the sandwich and putting it in the dishwasher.  
  
The sound of approaching voices nearly sent Rogue into a panic attack. Remy froze when he saw her widened eyes. Her frightened eyes. "They're goin to find out sooner or later, Chere."  
  
Pushing off the stool, she sent him a pleading look. "Later, Remy. Ah'll tell them later. Promise me you won't say anything. Promise me?"  
  
Remy ran a hand through his messy main of hair. "I promise, Rogue." She fled the kitchen through the back door while Storm and Beast entered into the kitchen through the main entrance.  
  
Upon seeing Remy in the kitchen, Storm smiled. "So, you're back. I take it that you found our AWOL team member?" She questioned.  
"Yea, Rogue's upstairs unpacking as we speak." Remy turned to her, a serious look etched on his face. "Stormy, where's the Prof? I really need to talk with him."  
Throwing Remy a confused look, she replied, "He's in the study. Remy, is everything all right?"  
  
Placing a hand on her shoulder, Remy somewhat smiled. "Thank you, Storm. But I can't talk about it right now. You will know soon enough." Turning, he left the room.  
  
"What was that all about?" Beast asked, a perplexed look on his face.  
"I have no idea, but any time you see our happy-go-lucky Cajun with a serious look on his face, you know that it's not a good thing."  
  
****************  
  
She slammed the door to her bedroom and turned the lock. 'Not like that is going to keep this thing out of my life.' She thought as she walked over and fell on the bed. Grabbing one of her pillows, she hugged it tight against her body.  
  
"I hear you're picking up bad habits from that Cajun, river rat."  
  
Mentally sighing, she turned and found Logan sitting in the chair on the opposite side of the room. 'See, locks never work in this place.' Pulling herself up into a sitting position, she asked, "Haven't you ever heard of knockin and privacy?"  
  
Drawing a drag off of his cigarette, he replied, "Yup. Overrated. Okay, river rat, what secrets are you keeping from me this time?"  
  
Taken back by his bluntness, Rogue said, "Secrets? What are you talking about?"  
  
Clearing his throat, he proceeded to list a few. "Let's see there was the time you went to Dr. Agee's lab; searching for Remy in Antarctica; and I know that your real name isn't 'Marie'...would you like me to continue?"  
  
"All right! Ah get the picture already." Rogue turned her face into the pillow she had been holding. 'What had Remy said? "They're going to find out sooner or later" Well I guess it was sooner than I thought.'  
  
Lifting her head, she looked at Logan through the tears in her eyes. Her voice barely above a whisper, she simply said, "I'm dying."  
  
Had Sabertooth jumped him from behind, he wouldn't have been more shocked. He repeated her statement, making sure he had heard her correctly. "You're dying?" As Rogue shook her head, he got up from the chair and sat down on the edge of her bed.   
  
"The Professor has been runnin tests for the past two months. It seems mah powers have finally turned against me."  
"But the Prof found the cure, right?"  
"Not yet."  
  
An awkward silence spread between them. Logan took a deep breath and asked, "Who else knows?"  
" 'Sides you, only the Professor and Remy. No one else knows, not even..."  
"Mystique?"  
"Not yet."  
  
Logan sat there, staring at her hung head. He had seen her upset before, but never defeated, not until today. "Don't worry, Rogue. The Professor will find a cure."  
  
Rogue looked up at him and thought, 'We'll see.' but she said to him, "If you don't mind, Wolvy, I need to get some rest."  
  
Logan looked at her for a long minute. "Are you going to be okay?"  
"I'm fine, just tired."  
"All right. I will leave you alone" Placing a hand on hers, he added, "Remember, you aren't going through this alone." Pushing away from the bed, Logan left the room.  
  
Once the door was closed, Rogue jumped off the bed and walked to the window. 'We'll since you got the ball rollin, you might as well go talk to her.' Opening the window, Rogue jumped through it and headed toward Manhattan.  
  



	6. Dreams

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-men  
  
Dreams   
Chapter 6  
  
Remy thought a work out in the danger room would help him alleviate some of the tension he felt in his body. But it hadn't helped.  
  
He was angry. Extremely angry, at the world and at life in general. As he turned the corner, heading toward the Professor's study, he ran into a brick wall. Jarred from his thoughts, he found Logan standing in front of him.  
  
"Hello, Logan."  
"Cajun."  
They both stood there, staring each other down.  
"So I take it she told you?"  
"Yea. Have you talked with the Professor, yet?"  
"No, I was on my way when I ran into you."  
Again, there was silence for a couple of minutes before Logan broke it.  
"Take care of her, Cajun."  
"I will." Walking past Logan, Remy continued on his way to see the Professor.  
  
****************   
  
He didn't need to use his telepathic powers to know that they had returned. He could feel the tension level rise in the mansion. The way a father knows when one of his children is hiding a secret. And one of his children was hiding a terrible secret.  
  
'It's times like this when I wish you were still with us, Moira.' Charles thought as he stared at a picture of his extended family; his eyes focused on the auburn hair southern-belle. 'I don't know what to do.'  
  
Two months ago, he noticed a change in Rogue. She was losing her strength, and during a practice in the danger room, she was nearly killed. Something that shouldn't happen to a person who was invulnerable.  
  
Shaking his head, he thought back to all of the setbacks that Rogue had experienced in her young life. But he didn't know if she would walk away from this one.  
  
The door opened to the study and closed quietly. Charles didn't need to use his powers or turn around to know who was standing behind him.  
"I take it that you both have returned?"  
"Yea, we got back a couple of hours ago."  
"You have questions, Remy. But I don't know if I have all the answers."  
Turning his chair around, Charles stared into Remy's distraught face.  
  
"Is there a way to save her?"  
"I'm not really sure, Remy."  
  
Remy walked over and sat down on one of the leather chairs that sat opposite of Charles.  
"How much longer does she have?"  
  
Charles hated to see his children hurting like this. Sighing, Charles told him the truth. "About four months. Maybe less, it depends on how quickly her powers drain her life."  
  
****************  
  
The glass doors to the porch were open, welcoming her. Rogue landed on the stone balcony of the Manhattan penthouse and walked inside. She surveyed her surroundings and remembered the last time she was here. It was shortly after Mystique had pulled her from Dr. Agee's lab. 'What had I said to her about this place? Oh yea, "Nice Digs, Mystique. You rent or own?" I guess the answer had been own.'  
  
As she moved deeper into the living room, she called out, "Mystique? Are you home?" There was no answer. Rogue stood there for a moment, pondering if she should go or if she should stay when the door opened.  
  
"Just set the packages in my room, Geoffrey. Then go ahead and take the rest of the day off. I will deal with them later."  
"Yes, miss."  
  
Rogue hurried to the balcony, not wanting to be found if she had company. She watched from her hiding spot as a petite blond walked into the living room. The young woman was dressed in a pink two-piece suit. Finally the young woman sat down on the plush couch and pulled off her shoes, placing her feet on the coffee table. The next time Rogue blinked, the blond woman was gone and had been replaced with her foster mother.  
  
"I know you're out there, Rogue. The coast is clear. You can come in."  
  
Rogue walked around the corner. "How'd you know I was there?"  
Mystique smiled. "Call it woman's intuition or mother's intuition. So can I ask what brings you to my doorstep? Surely Charles doesn't know about this meeting, does he?"  
  
Rogue sat down on the couch next to her. "No, the Professor doesn't know that I'm here."  
"But that still doesn't answer my first question."  
"Ah'm not sure if I'm ready to answer your first question."  
  
Mystique turned toward her foster daughter. "Would you like something to drink?" Without waiting for an answer, Mystique got off the couch and headed toward the bar. She pulled out two glasses and a decanter of bourbon and poured them both a drink. Handing Rogue a glass when she returned to the couch, she said, "I know why you're here."  
  
"No, ya don't. Only three people know what . . ."  
"You're dying, aren't you?"  
Rogue's eyes narrowed as she asked, "How'd you know that? And don't go and give me any BS about mothers' intuition."  
  
Setting her glass down, Mystique reached over to the coffee table and grabbed a leather bound book. "This is how I knew." She said, handing the book to Rogue.  
  
Carefully, Rogue took the book out her mother's hands, afraid to touch it; for it looked so brittle and fragile. Slowly, she opened the front cover and noticed the familiar handwriting of a friend.  
  
Rogue spun around to face Mystique, a shocked look on her face. "This is one of Irene Adler's Diaries!" Turning her attention back to the diary that she held, she saw her life laid out on page after page of paper. Long before she even discovered her powers, Irene Adler had written about the events in Rogues' life. The last page of the diary held pictures of Mystique and her reading the book, excerpts of the conversation written across the page.  
  
Turning to Mystique, she asked, "That's it? Where's the rest?" Hope bloomed inside of her. 'Maybe Irene had written down the cure.'  
  
Mystique looked at her daughter and replied, "Yes, that is all . . . for that book. Irene wrote numerous diaries, but I only hold a few of them. I don't have the rest, but I have a good idea who does."  
  
"Who?"  
"Magnus."  
  
  
A/N: Here is some quick FYI for those who aren't familiar with Irene Adler. Irene was a mutant, a precog, and therefore could foresee the future. She would write down her 'visions' of the future in diaries. She was a friend of Mystique and left most of the diaries in her care. However, no one is sure exactly how many diaries there are.  



	7. Dreams

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-men.   
  
A/N: Thanks to all of you who have sent wonderful reviews to me. I appreciate it more than you will ever know. So to all of those how have taken the time to read my story, this one's for you. :o)  
  
Dreams  
Chapter 7  
  
The sun had nearly set by the time she got to the mansion. 'Hope no one's home.' She quickly climbed through the second story window, trying as hard as she could to be quiet. But when she tripped over the windowsill on her way in, she couldn't help the expletive that escaped her mouth.  
  
"Damnit!" She said as she sat on the floor, rubbing her recently stubbed toe. 'Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea if I asked Charles to install some outdoor lighting.' Her attention was taken away from her foot as a slow chuckle came from the shadows.  
  
The light from a match, illuminated his face for only a second, before it was extinguished. The hot end of his cigarette gave away his where about in the shadows. She sat in the middle of the floor, she watched the tiny orange flame come closer to her.  
  
"Remy, remember tellin ya to stay put, Chere. Now, why'd ya not listen to Remy?"  
  
She stared up at him, his face barely visible in the darkness. 'Play it cool, maybe he won't know something's amiss.' Flashing him a charming smile, she answered. "Ah had to go out for some air, Remy. Surely ya understand?"  
  
His figure retreated over to the bedside table and he turned on the light. She put her hand up against her eyes, letting them adjust to the bright light.   
  
"I understand a couple of minutes, Chere, but not a couple of hours."  
"Ah had to go take care of somethin'."  
"Care to share?"  
Again she showed him that charming smile. "Ah'm not tellin you all my secrets, Cajun."  
  
Remy raised an inquisitive eyebrow at that remark. "Ya may not tell me now, but Remy find out . . . eventually." He strode over to her, placed his hand on his chin and said, "Maybe Stormy right. Ya've been pickin up mah bad habits." Offering her a hand, he added, "Want some help gettin up?" Placing her gloved hand in his, he helped her to her feet. She turned her head away as he focused his intense gaze on her. "Come, Chere. The Professor wants to have a 'family' meeting."  
  
Panic bloomed inside of her. "Already? Don't you think I could get cleaned up before I have to meet everyone?" She began to fidget, rubbing her hands together.  
Remy looked down at the top of her head. He laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Ya're stalin for time, Rogue. Ya are goin to have to tell them all, might as well get it done in one sittin."  
  
"Ah know. But please, just a quick shower?"  
He smiled. "Okay, 15 minutes. If ya not down in 15 minutes, Remy come up here and join you."  
"Ya'd like that, wouldn't ya?"  
"Ya know ah would." He winked at her, emphasizing his reply.  
  
As she pushed him out the door, she replied, "Well, get a move on, Cajun. Ah only got 15 minutes to make myself presentable."  
  
****************  
  
As Remy walked into the library, all eyes turned and focused on him. Jean, Scott and Ororo sat on the couch, while Logan and Hank had preferred to stand. "She's upstairs. She'll be down in 15 minutes, I guarantee." He said with a sly smile on his face.  
  
"What makes you say that, my dear Cajun?" Hank asked.  
"Just call it a hunch."  
  
Remy turned and found Charles behind him. Slowly, he walked over to him and leaned down.  
"She's not gonna talk. Ah can tell you dat right now."  
"They need to know."  
"Maybe it would be best comin from you." Remy answered.  
  
Deep down, Charles knew that Rogue wouldn't be able to handle the pressure of informing the team of her condition. He wished there was a better way to tell them, but unfortunately, this is the way it had to be. He positioned himself where everyone could see him, and began.  
  
"As you all know, I've called this special meeting tonight. And I am afraid that it doesn't come with any good news." Sighing, Charles continued. "Recently, it was discovered that Rogue's powers were becoming harder and harder to control. But this time, I am not sure if there is anything we can do."  
  
"Professor, what exactly are you getting at?" Scott asked, as he moved closer to the edge of the couch, resting his elbows on his knees, hands clasped in front of him.  
  
"Rogue's powers have turned against her. They are now draining the life out of her."  
  
The door to the library opened and she stepped through. She felt like prey being watched by the hunters as she walked into the room. She caught movement out of her right eye and swung around to meet Logan's cold stare.  
  
Sniffing, he said. "I smell a rat." As the other watched in confusion, Logan raised his bare hand and laid it on her cheek.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
"All right, Mystique. The gig is up." Logan stated in a harsh voice.  
  
In a matter of seconds, Rogue's form melted away and was replaced by that of the shape shifter's. Placing her hands on her hips, she gave Logan a hard glare. "I told her it wouldn't work. But that stubborn daughter of mine won't listen to me."   
  
She swung around and came face to face with an irate Cajun. Remy's eyes burned ruby red against the black. Mystique stepped back and found Logan standing behind her. 'Trapped like a rat, too.' She thought as she found herself sandwiched between the two X-men.  
  
"Where is she, Mystique?" Remy asked as he pulled out a playing card, charging it up and putting it close to her face.  
  
"That's enough!" Charles voice rang out from behind them. All eyes turned toward Charles, for they had never seen him this upset before. "Remy, put your card away." He ordered. Huffing, Remy let go of the card and it landed at Mystique's feet with a tiny 'poof'.   
  
Mystique brushed by him and made her way toward Charles. She stopped about a foot away from him. "What do you want to know?"  
  
"Where is Rogue?"  
"She went looking for a cure."  
Remy spoke up. "A cure? You know a cure?"  
  
Mystique turned around and faced all of the X-men. "I knew that she would come to me with her problem. How did I know? It's simple, I own most of Irene Alder's Diaries of Destiny. I also know there is the possibility for a cure and that Alder's diaries may hold the key to saving her. The problem is, I don't have the one she needs in my possession. So she went looking for it."  
  
"And just where is this diary?" Scott asked.  
"Antarctica. Magnus' old lab."   
"How much of a lead does she have?"   
Mystique glanced at the clock on the far wall of the library. "She has about a two hour head start."  
  
Logan and Remy looked at each other. "Let's move." And quickly the two were out of the library door.  
  
"Professor, shouldn't we go after them?" Scott questioned as he rose from the couch.  
"No, Scott. Remy and Logan will be able to watch her. All we can do now is hope that they find the diary that has the cure."  
  
  
  
  



	8. Dreams

Disclaimer: As you all know already, I don't own the X-men. Marvel does.  
  
A/N: Okay I know that last chapter may have been a little lame on the action/adventure part, but it's called a bridge chapter. ^-^ I rewrote this chapter especially for Opaque, who asked for Remy to be included in the search for the diaries. Well, as an added bonus, I threw Logan in too. So, on with the story! :o)  
  
Dreams   
Chapter 8  
  
Rogue stood on the edge of the cliff, looking down into the pre-historic scenery that spread out into the horizon. The Savage-Land had been the first place where she was able to touch other person without her powers hurting them. She had hoped that it would last, but during the battle with Sinister, the device that neutralized her powers had been destroyed.   
  
She pulled up the woolen collar of her flight jacket around her, trying to ward off the arctic winds that blew her hair in her face. She was exhausted. Not wanting to push her powers too far, she had taken her time to reach Antarctica. But it still didn't help much. Turning to her left, she found a small cave and decided to take shelter there while she regained some of her strength.  
  
The cave wasn't even a cave but a narrow opening in the stone cliff. She crouched down and climbed as far inside as she could and blew into her cold hands, hoping to warm them slightly. 'What I wouldn't give for a cup of hot chocolate, right about not.' She smiled as she remembered the past Christmas when Remy and her sat on the front patio, bundled up in warm sweaters. Drinking hot chocolate had then lead to the ensuing snowball battle, which she was happy to say she won.  
  
A sound from outside the cave, grabbed her attention. Being as quiet as she possibly could, she listened, trying to determine if the noise was coming in her direction. After a couple of seconds, she was able to discern that whatever was out there, was coming closer to her position. 'Wait for the right moment. Three . . . two . . . one!'   
  
Rogue came flying out of the cave with a heavy-handed punch, which unfortunately caught Remy square in the stomach. "Oh mah God, Remy!" Rogue yelled as she watched him pitch forward and land on his knees, gasping for breath. Crouching down, she began to babble. "Oh mah God, Remy. Ah'm so sorry. Ah didn't know it was ya. If ah'd known, I wouldn't have hit ya dat hard."  
  
She turned when she heard a deep chuckle come from behind her. "It's about time someone knocked some sense into that Cajun." Logan replied, taking a drag off his cigarette. She glared at Logan as she helped Remy to his feet.  
  
"Ah take it that Mystique didn't get too far with you guys." Watching Logan nod, she continued, "Ah should've know better than to think she'd last more than two minutes in that house."  
  
Still clutching his stomach, Remy replied, "Actually, Chere, she lasted about 30 minutes. Dat is until she was 'sniffed' out, so ta speak." Remy added as he turned a smile toward Logan, who just growled back.  
  
"Well, ah guess since ya're here..." Pointing to the moss covered stone fortress deep within the Savage Land, Rogue continued. "That's where we're headed." She turned away from them and walked closer to the edge of the cliff. "Normally, ah could just fly us over there and we'd be done in no time. However, ah don't think ah have the strength." Bowing her head, she wrapped her arms around herself.   
  
Remy and Logan walked over and stood beside her. Logan placed his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Rogue. We'll go in on foot." Remy added, "Do ya think ya could glide us to the bottom, Chere? Ya know dat Remy don't like heights."  
  
Rogue flashed him one of those heart stopping southern belle smiles, and gave him a small salute. "Ah think it's possible." Taking a hold of Logan, she looked back over her shoulder to Remy. "Don't be getting into any trouble while ah'm gone." With a quick wink, she and Logan disappeared into the clouds directly below the cliff. Seconds later, she re-appeared near the top of the cliff.  
  
Remy stood back and let her land. They stared at each other for a moment, before Remy said, "Why ya gotta try and do dis stuff alone, Chere?"   
  
She shrugged. "Maybe because ah've always been alone."  
  
He pulled her close to him, and whispered in her ear, "Ya're not alone any more."  
  
"Ah love you, Remy."  
  
"Ah love you too, Chere. Now, lets go find dat cure."  
  
****************  
  
Hot, humid and tropical. 'Kind of reminds me of Mississippi.' Rogue thought as she shed her flight jacket. The Savage Land was straight out of all of those hollywood movies, complete with dinosaurs. That's the reason they were stopped at the moment. Logan has sensed/smelled something, and had given Remy and her the 'halt' signal. He had since then disappeared into the trees.  
  
As she sat there, memories came flooding back. The time that the team chased Charles to Antarctica, only to find out it had been a trap set by Sinister. She had kissed Remy that day, as she was pulled from the cell. Her first kiss since Cody. But more terrifying then the fight with Sinister had been Remy's trial for the murder of the Morlocks. With their powers negated, they had finally been able to express their true emotions. Only to have their dreams shattered when she was forced to kiss Remy and absorb his thoughts and memories. And then the heart brake of leaving him behind. Rogue never thought she would return to this place. Antarctica was home to so many of her dreams and nightmares.  
  
"Chere, ya feeling okay? Ya lookin green around the gills." Remy's soft voice dragged her back to the present. She could see the concern in his eyes.  
  
"Ah'm fine. Just thinkin. This place has a lot of our history buried within it." She sighed as she hugged her knees close to her chest.  
  
" 'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.' (A/N: Eleanor Roosevelt) We look ahead to the future and not live in the past, Chere."  
'If I only knew what the future held in store for me, Remy, I would share your sentiment.'  
  
Logan came out of the under brush right behind them. "We need to move away from this area, ASAP. There is a Raptor nesting ground ahead. Don't want to tick off any of those ladies."  
  
"Well, lets get a move on then. Ah don't want to be one of those big lizard's dinner." Rogue declared as she jumped down from the stone she had been sitting on. "Come on, slow pokes." With that, she took off in the direction where Logan had emerged from the trees.  
  
Remy put his hand on Logan's shoulder, a silent request for him to stop. Looking around Logan, seeing how close Rogue was, he asked. "How much further we got until we hit da compound?"  
  
"We should be there in a couple of hours."  
"Good, cause Remy got a bad feeling about dis."  
"You're not the only one, Cajun."  
  
****************  
  
He could smell a trap a mile away. This one stunk so bad that he noticed it was they had disembarked from the X-jet. 'Must be a big one if the Cajun picked up on it.' As the made their way up to the entrance of the stone fortress, Logan had the feeling they were being watched. The problem was he couldn't tell from where. The thought made him extremely uncomfortable as they continued along the overgrown grass path.   
  
When the made it up to the huge steel doors, Rogue sweetly said, "Let's knock and see if anybody's home." With one single jab, she knocked the doors off their hinges and they fell with a resounding 'boom.' Remy put a hand to his stomach and counted his lucky stars that she had pulled the punch she had given him earlier.  
  
The inside of the building was also overrun with various plant and animal life. As they stepped further inside the entrance, animals darted every which way, trying to hide. Sunlight streamed in through broken windows, brightening some corners while leaving other cloaked in shadows.  
  
'There must be more rooms in here than the mansion. How are we ever going to find the diaries?' Rogue thought as she spied two different staircases in the main hall. Never taking her eyes off the stairs, she said, "Ah think we need to spilt up."  
  
"Remy don't think dat such a good idea, Chere."  
  
Placing her hands on her hips, she turned and faced him. "This isn't about me tryin to do things on mah own. This is about findin the diaries so we can get the hell out of here. Besides, we have our COM links. We can be in constant contact." She looked toward Logan, her eyes pleading him to agree with her. "What do you say?"  
  
"She's gotta point. Could be quicker if we spilt up." He turned a fatherly gaze toward Rogue. "Use the COM link and check in every 5 minutes, if we don't hear from you, we'll come lookin for you."  
  
"Deal."  
  
Logan took the main floor, while Remy and Rogue each ascended a different staircase. "Be careful, Chere."  
"Ah'll be all right. Watch your six, Remy, I won't be protectin it this time."  
He flashed her a killer smile. "Ah always like it when ya watch my six."  
Laughing, Rogue turned down the hall and into the West Wing.  
  
****************  
  
She had looked in every room that crossed her path as she traveled down further into the wing. Through constant communication, she knew that neither Remy nor Logan was having any better luck. Sighing, Rogue turned the last corner and entered a dark hallway where two Cerberus statues stood as guard dogs. Rogue kept her gaze on the statues as she walked by them. She could have sworn they were watching her as she proceeded down the hall.   
  
At the far end of the hallway, stood two enormous wooden doors. They stood there, like sentries, guarding some precious secret that lay inside. The closer she moved toward the doors, she felt like she was getting closer to the answer. Rogue turned the doorknob, and was slightly surprised when she found the door to be unlocked. The old doors groaned as she cracking open them and peered inside.   
  
On numerous shelves along the walls, Rogue found a library of books. 'If they would be anywhere, they would have to be in here.' As she stepped further inside, she found an old oak desk, red velvet couch, antique pictures and glass decanters full of liquor. 'This must have been Magnus' private study.' Hope bloomed inside of her as she made her way to the first wall.   
  
Magnus had books and playwrights by every imaginable author: Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Shakespeare, Vonnegut, Steinbeck, Plato, Twain . . . the list went on and on. He even had some original prints of some author's work. 'What a shame, what a waste.' Shaking her head, she continued scanning all the books on every shelf until she finished.  
  
"Damnit!" The diaries were nowhere to be found. 'I could have sworn they would have been here.' Slamming her hands on the desk in frustration, she hadn't noticed the shadow that had moved into in the far corner, watching her.  
  
Looking at the desk a little closer, Rogue realized that one of the drawers had a lock on it. 'What the hell.' Grasping the handle, she pulled the drawer out, breaking the hinges. Inside the drawer were three books; similar to the one's in Mystique's possession. A smile crossed her face. "Irene's Diaries." She whispered as she ran her hand across the front cover to one of the books, moving the dust aside.  
  
Hurriedly, she opened the first book and began skimming through the pages. She found that the events in this diary had already taken place. Picking up the next one, she flipped through the pages, again finding the past written in the pages. Crossing her fingers, she cracked open the front over to the last book. 'Third time's a charm.'  
  
Again, another dead-end. Rogue slumped down into the old leather chair that sat behind the desk. Tears gathered in her eyes as she sat there looking down at the diaries. She closed her eyes and pinched herself, hoping this was all a bad dream and she would wake up at any moment. But she never did.   
  
Something in the room didn't feel right. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the shadow fall upon her. Lifting her head, she opened her eyes and saw him standing in front of her.  
  
Holding a leather bound book in his hand, he looked toward her and asked, "Were you looking for this, my dear?"  
  
  



	9. Dreams

Disclaimer: I don't own them, and it looks like I never will. *Sigh*  
  
A/N: *Steps out from behind the curtain* Hi! Remember this story and me? *Silence* :( That's what I thought, oh well. Blame my muse, Karick and me. *Blows dust of disk*   
Let's see if I can spark your interest again....  
  
Dreams  
Chapter 9  
  
The place was a complete mess. Plants had worked their way in through the broken window and were nearly covering the entire south side of the room. Most of the light had been blocked from the lab, casting shadows in nearly every corner. Everything standing had been covered in a light coating of dust. Various things littered the entire floor along with burned scraps of paper. 'Apparently, Magnus doesn't have housekeeping.'   
  
His dark eyes continued to scan the lab, searching the dimly lit room for...something. Remy walked deeper into the room, the sound of glass cracking under his footsteps. 'It looks like a scene out of that Frankenstein movie.' Among the many broken glass containers and papers strewn on the floor were medical equipment, cables and wires, and in the middle of the room, a table.  
  
A book lying on a far table grabbed his attention. It didn't look like any special, nothing like Irene's diaries, but there was something about it that seemed different. Working his way through the mess, Remy made his way over to the table. Blowing the dust off the top of the book, he continued to stare at the lab notebook. Curiosity got the better of him. He gently picked up the yellow aged booklet and filled it open.  
  
Scrawled across the front page were notes on some type of cerium, and remarks noting the failures. Flipping the aged pages, Remy came across more experiments; all of them failed. However, there was no mention of why Magnus was conducting these experiments; though they all seemed to be striving for the same purpose. He laid the book back on the table and continued his search of the lab.  
  
The hairs on the back of his neck began to stand on end. Closing his eyes, he strained to hear the faint noise that put in on alert. Hearing the noise grow slightly louder, he slipped his hand inside his duster, his fingers closing around a playing card. Slowly, he pulled it out of the deep pocket and focused his energy toward it, causing it to glow. Whipping around, Remy's arm instinctively came up, poised to throw the card at the intruder. His eyes widened and his wrist went limp when he noticed her standing in the doorway.  
  
"Chere?"  
  
In the all the time that he had known her, Remy had never seen her look so dejected. Unconsciously, she was wringing her gloved hands. Her green eyes were dulled and hidden behind a sheen of tears. The pale complexions of her face against the emerald colored sweater made her seem more vulnerable than she ever had before.   
  
Rogue made no further movement into the room. Somehow, as if on autopilot, she had made her way from the study to the East Wing of the building. Mentally, she had reached out, calling for Remy and found herself drawn toward the lab. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Biting her bottom lip, she turned her head away from Remy and let the tears course down her face.  
  
Remy watched her shoulders shake as the silent sobs racked her body. He found himself nearly running to her side and once he was there, he pulled her into his arms. Rogue's hands clutched his duster, as she laid her forehead against his chest. When she finally found her voice, she pulled her face away from his chest and looked up into his face.  
  
"It's over, Remy. There isn't a cure."  
  
Nothing could have prepared him to hear those words fall off her lips. It felt as if someone had stuck a knife in his back and was twisting it with all their might. Her whispered words hit him so hard, he couldn't find the breath to speak.   
  
She waited for a response from him, hoping that he'd have some witty or hopeful comment to give her. His response was silence, just like she suspected. Sighing, she slipped her arms around him, laying her head against his chest and listening to the calming beat of his heart.   
  
Logan stood off in the shadows, watching them. He had searched the entire main floor of the compound and had come up with nothing. While making his way back to the staircase, he had caught a scent, Magnus' scent. It wasn't strong but it was still Magnus. The scent had brought him to the lab just in time to hear Rogue say there was no cure. Her words had thrown him off balance. 'No cure?'   
  
Never one to display many emotions, Logan could feel them trapped inside his head. He was depressed, angry and confused, but none of those emotions played across his face. Shuffling his feet loudly, he let them know about his presence before he entered the room.  
  
Rogue pulled back from Remy and turned around to face her friend. A sad smile crept across her face. "Sorry, to drag ya out here for nothin'." She nervously ran one hand through her hair. "It was a shot in the dark, but it was worth checkin' out." The sorrowful eyes that both Remy and Logan had on their faces were becoming too much to bear. Wrapping her arms around herself, she made her way toward Logan. "Let's go home."  
  
Logan laid a comforting arm on her shoulders, and was immediately assaulted by Magnus's scent. He led her out into the hallway that lead towards the staircase. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed that Remy wasn't behind him. He looked down at Rogue and said, "Your hiding something from me, aren't you, river rat?"   
  
Rogue spun her head around and found Logan's knowing eyes staring back at her. "Yes, ah'm hidin' something from you, but don't except me to be tellin' you." She shrugged his arm off her shoulders and turned to face him. "I'll confirm your suspicions. Yes, I did talk to Magnus." Rogue raised her hand as she saw him open his mouth. "Before, ya go and yell at me, ah don't plan on lettin' ya know what was said. Let's just leave it at that."   
Pushing off the floor, she took flight and headed out the main door.  
  
'Where in the world did she get this stubborn streak from?' Hearing heavy footfalls coming from the corridor, Logan saw Remy appear out of the shadows. "What took you so long, Cajun?"  
  
Remy flashed him a careless grin. "Just pickin' up a couple of t'ings. Where's Rogue?"  
  
"Already outside." Logan answered, motioning toward the main door with his thumb.  
  
"Let's go." Remy started to walk past Logan, when he felt something on his shoulder. Looking out of the corner of his eye, he saw Logan's hand.   
  
"Don't worry, Cajun. We'll find a way to save her."  
  
"I hope you're right."  
  
****************  
  
"God damn powers!"   
  
Rogue put all her weight into the punch. The boulder broke into three separate pieces. She slumped down to the ground, exhausted from venting out her frustration. Though she still had more to get out of her system, but her hands hurt. She hissed as she pulled off her gloves and examined her knuckles. Swollen and red, they looked as painful as they felt.  
  
Pain. There was a new concept to experience. She had never really experienced pain before. Mostly things would knock her down or the wind out of her system. Things that would cause unbearable pain for others, would only feel like a stubbed toe or a small amount of pressure. Her powers were her blessing and her curse.   
  
And now she was dying, and not an honorable death at that. Her powers were killing her and her only chances for a cure was a dead end. Pulling her legs up toward her body, she wrapped her arms around them and laid her head on her knees, thinking about the her encounter with Magnus...  
  
Something in the room didn't feel right. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the shadow fall upon her. Lifting her head, she opened her eyes and saw him standing in front of her.  
  
Holding a leather bound book in his hand, he looked toward her and asked, "Were you looking for this, my dear?"  
  
"Magus."  
"Rogue."  
  
The silence hung in the air, like the book dangling from his fingers. Rogue narrowed her eyes, and continued to hold his stare. Anger flooded her entire body, not from the fact that he held the key to her hope in his hand, but from the apologetic way he was looking at her.   
  
"Don't look at me like that. I don't need your pity." She tilted her head toward the book. "What I really need from ya is that diary. So if you'd please." Rogue held out her right hand. She was surprised when Magnus gently placed the book in her hand. He still stood on the opposite side of the desk from her.   
  
Sending him a questioning look, she laid the book down on the desk in front of her. "Why'd ya give it up so easily?" When she got no response from him, she flung open the leather cover of the book and furiously began flipping through the pages.  
  
Magnus sighed. "You won't find what you're looking for in there, Rogue."  
  
"You have no idea what I'm looking for!" She shot back at him as she continued to skim the pages.  
  
"There's no cure, Rogue."  
  
Her hand stopped as she was turning the page. She refused to look up at him, refused to let him see the tears in her eyes. "There's no cure? What do you mean?" Her voice shook as she spoke.   
  
"The diaries contain no information on how to cure what's happening to you. Nor are you mentioned in later volumes of her diaries."  
  
"No, you're lying. You're lying. YOU'RE LYING!" Her head came up, tears falling down her face as banged her fists down on the desk, leaving indentions in the old wood. Ignoring his words, she continued to leaf through the diaries  
  
"When Mystique brought you into the Brotherhood of Mutants, we had no idea things would turn out the way they did. It wasn't until Mystique ran into Irene Alder that we had any idea of what lay ahead for us. As we researched the diaries, we found out that your powers would turn against you." Taking a deep breath, he continued. "Not all of Irene's visions are spelled out in her diaries, Rogue. She knew that some things would be better left alone."  
  
Rogue covered her ears, trying to block his words. With every sentence he spoke, her hope diminished. "And saving my life is something she felt would have been better left alone!"  
  
Of course, Magnus hadn't replied to her statement. He watched her throw a disgusted look at the diary before flinging it across the study. She marched over to the broken window and looked outside. "Rogue, for a while Mystique and I experimented to find away to stop your powers..."  
  
She snickered. "But ya couldn't find anything, could ya?" Rogue turned around to face him, the broken glass from the window reflecting light behind her. She watched him shake his head. "I didn't think so, because if ya had we wouldn't be here jawing about the whole blasted mess."  
  
'No cure! There's no cure! What am I suppose to do now? Just accept my fate? Can fate be alerted or is it already etched in stone?' Her mind was a jumbled mess of unanswered questions. She had to get out of there; she needed fresh air. She needed Remy. Rogue brushed by him as she headed to the door. The sound of him calling her name stopped her before she totally fled the room.   
  
She looked over her shoulder to find Magnus hold Irene's diary toward her. "I don't care what you do with it. That books holds her dreams, none of which match my own." Turning, she left the room...  
  
Lifting her head, Rogue let the sunlight dry the tears that hung on her cheeks. Opening her eyes, she looked about her looking for some sign of Remy and Logan. Flying out of there like a bat out of hell hadn't been the best idea, but she had needed time to collect her thoughts. There was still no sign of them.   
  
Rogue pulled herself off the ground and decided to fly and retrace her steps to find them. The sound of rustling in the bushes caught her attention before she pushed off the ground. Placing her hands on her hips, she addressed the bush. "Remy LaBeau, if that's you hidin' in dat bush, ya better come out of there right now."  
  
The bush parted, but it wasn't Remy on the other side.  
  
"Raptors!"  
  
****************  
  
"How far could she have gotten?" Remy asked as he rubbed the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. "I had nearly forgotten how much I hated dis place."  
  
"Not found memories, are they?"   
  
"If given da choice, ah wouldn't relive dem."  
  
Logan grunted a response as they continued on the path that led back to the protective cliffs of the Savage Land. The closer they got toward the clearing, the tenser the air seemed to become. Throwing a hand up in the air, he called a halt. Turning toward Remy, he put one finger over his lips, signaling for quiet.  
  
The forest around them remained eerily still. No sounds echoed from the underbrush. Only the intermittent breeze causing the leaves to stir seemed to be the only life in the forest. That's when he caught the smell of it. Blood. The putrid irony smell floated along the gentle breeze. Its overpowering stench nearly knocked him off his feet. Looking toward Remy, he noticed his wide concerned eyes; apparently he could smell the blood too. Taking a deep breath, Logan caught the light scent of something else.   
  
"Raptors."  
  
"Where?" Remy asked as he scanned the canopy of the trees surrounding them.  
  
"They're close. Real close." Logan extended his claws and motioned for them to continue toward their destination.   
  
When they entered the clearing, they found one of the huge beasts lying on its side. Its neck had been twisted at a grotesque angel. From the looks of it, the others had attacked the fallen member of their pack, instead of chasing their original prey. The ground was soaked with blood, and Remy pulled his bandana out of his pocket and placed it against his nose.  
  
About a third of the way left to go through the clearing, Logan stopped again. "She's here. Rogue's around here somewhere."  
  
Remy spun around, nearly completing a circle before he spotted her. She was lying on her side, just like the dead beast, not moving. "Logan, over here!" He took off in her direction. As he got closer to her, he could see the shallow rise and fall of her chest. Relief temporarily washed over him; she was alive, but for how long? He knelt down on the blood-covered ground beside her, afraid to move her, not knowing the extent of her injuries.  
  
With his gloved hand, he pushed her hair out of her face. Her eyes spurn open, glazed over with shock.  
  
"Have ah ever told ya how much ah hate those lizards?"  
  
If it weren't for her condition, Remy would have found the statement almost comical. "I think it's been mentioned a time or two. What hurts, Rogue? We have to know before we move you."  
  
She squeezed her eyes shut to try and fight the lightning bolts of pain that scattered through her body. "Everything hurts. I haven't felt pain like this before." Tears started streaming out of her clenched eyes. Remy turned a pleading look to Logan. Unspoken words passed between the two men as they looked down on their wounded friend.  
  
Remy carefully removed one of Rogue's gloves, against her grunted protests. "Don't worry, Chere. Everything will be all right, just close your eyes and let your powers do the work."   
  
Carefully, Logan slowly extended his hand towards her exposed one. He took one quick look at Remy, hoping that the Cajun would break the contact before she drained him of not only his powers, but also his energy. Taking a deep breath, Logan laid his hand on hers expecting to feel the pain of the energy drain. It never came.  
  
Rogue turned her head toward their hands. His touch was warm. And that's all she felt: his touch. 


	10. Dreams

Disclaimer: I still don't own them...  
  
Dreams   
Chapter 10  
  
She walked across the grass, which was still damp from the morning dew. A tiny blanket of fog obscured the ground from view, but she dug her toes deep into the dirt as she continued to make her way toward the river. She had walked this path many times before during her unhappy childhood; it seemed quite ironic that she stood on the same path now.  
  
Rogue tipped her head back and looked up into the clear night sky. The full moon filtered through the canopy of trees, lighting her way. Stars shone like illuminated holes punched into a black sheet. Her short auburn hair was teased by the gentle breeze. Spanish moss swayed from the long branches of the huge willow trees as the sound of running water rang strongly in her ears. Grasping onto the low branch of an oak tree, she ducked under it and came to a complete stop.  
  
A young girl was already sitting on her favorite rock, skipping pebbles across the river. The child turned her head slightly and regarded her with sad green eyes. Closing her eyes, the young girl swung back around and picked up a small flat stone. The girl's long auburn hair was pulled back into a ponytail, stray fly-aways framing her small face. She wore a pair of faded overalls with a pale, threadbare yellow undershirt. It only took Rogue a couple of seconds to realize she was staring at herself.  
  
Rogue pushed away from the tree and clasping her hands behind her back, she made her way toward the younger version of herself.  
  
"You're early."  
  
The young girl's voice echoed off the trees, causing Rogue's eyes to widen slightly. Shaking off the eerie feeling of talking to herself, she stopped a few feet away. "Ah'm early?" she questioned; not really sure what was happening.  
  
Her younger self turned to face her and motioned to the ground beside the rock she was perched on. Taking the motion as an invitation, Rogue walked over and sat down Indian style on the moss-covered bank, facing the child.  
  
"Whatcha mean by 'You're early'?"  
  
The girl continued to rub the flat stone between her thumb and forefinger, her green eyes staring out over the river. "It's not your time, yet."   
  
Rogue stared at the child and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear before she addressed herself. "Time?" she huffed, "It doesn't matter, does it? Now or later. Ah'm bound to cross this bridge sooner or later. Ah might as well get it over with now." Pulling her knees up, she wrapped her arms around them, bringing them closer to her body. Staring up at herself, Rogue felt more like a child then a grown adult.  
  
Sighing, the young Rogue tossed the flat stone she had been holding at her. "What do you see?"   
  
Rogue caught the pebble in her hand before it hit the ground. She opened her palm and looked down at the stone. "Just a piece of rock."  
  
"Look deeper."   
  
Running her thumb over the smooth stone, Rogue brought her brows together as she focused down at the object in her hand. "A small ordinary, gray flat stone."   
  
"We'll never get anywhere with this current train of thought."   
  
Rogue tilted her head up slightly and found the child staring at her with determination glowing in her green eyes. The child seemed wiser then the way Rogue remembered herself at that age. Turning away from the child's intense gaze, her fingers closed tightly around the pebble and pulling her arm back, she tossed the pebble into the river. Once it hit the river's surface, ripples began to appear.  
  
"Look." The younger version of herself ordered. She motioned Rogue with her finger, pointing to the ripples as they spread out from the center, moving across the water. "Each ordinary stone can cause ripples in the river of life; altering the course of the water in one way or another."  
  
"But the ripples will eventually disappear after a while and the river will go back to just the way it was before." Rogue countered as she watched the small ripples spread into huge concentric circles, fading as they progressed and eventually disappearing.  
  
The breeze seemed to carry a silence between them that stretched on for a while. Finally, the young girl spoke. "No, things will never go back to the way they once were. The river's been forever changed." Ignoring the disbelieving look that her older self was sending her, the child rolled her eyes and continued. "Rogue, look at the river. To the exact spot where the pebble lies."  
  
Rogue smirked and searched out the place right beyond the bank where the light gray stone laid under the clear water.   
  
"Though the ripples have disappeared, the stone lies at the bottom of the river, changing it forever. The stone was not there before, but by placing it in the water, you've changed the river the moment the stone touched the water. And it will forever stay that way. You see, even the smallest ordinary stone can change the course of life."  
  
Rogue hung her head, placing her forehead on her knees. She tilted her head to the side as she gazed upon two silver stones. A puzzled look worked its way across her face as she reached down and gently picked them up into her hand. Straightening, she pushed herself off the ground and held her hand out toward the child. The stones felt warm to the touch and made her smile. Rogue couldn't explain it, but somehow these stones held something special, something important. She opened her mouth to ask what was the significance of these two stones, when the fog started to grow thick around them.  
  
Standing up on the rock, the child finally turned fully around to face Rogue. "I believe someone is searching for you."  
  
Rogue listened careful over the sound of the running water, chirping crickets and the calls of the night owl and heard him faintly calling.  
  
"Rogue, chere, come back to me."  
  
She turned toward the path that lead her to the river and found a shadowy figure outlined in the mist. His hands were outstretched, begging for her to come to him. Without thinking, Rogue started running down the path toward him, but stopped about half way. Quickly spinning around, she faced herself again  
  
"What does this mean? What do the last two rocks mean?"  
  
As the child began to fade into the fog, Rogue heard the sound of the child's laughter.   
  
Turning back to the figure in the shadows, she ran down the path with the two stones still clutched in her hand. As she felt his arms wrap around her, Rogue felt the ground pull out from underneath her and she fell.  
  
****************  
  
Remy stopped himself from trying to grasp her ungloved hand as it lay beside her on the white sheets. Pushing out of the uncomfortable chair, he placed his hands behind his back and arched his spine, trying to work the knots out of his muscles. As he paced the room, his gaze never left her pale face. Her thick lashes fanned out across her checks; her hair spread out on the pillow. He rubbed his hands over his weary face; she looked awful.  
  
Half her face was hidden underneath heavy white bandages; the other half was covered in cuts and bruises. Her left arm was wrapped tightly with gauze; an IV taped to the inside of her right elbow. Jean had said that they had to bind her chest due to a couple of broken ribs; those bandages were barely peeking above the blanket. The only sounds in the room came from the machines; one of which helped her breath, the other which displayed ever-single beat of her heart. Remy found comfort in the constant beeps that resounded in the room.  
  
If he closed his eyes, the smell of death would assault his nose, her groans of pain would ring in his ears, and the sight of her as she passed out in the blood soaked grass continued to haunt him even now. Jean and Hank had been able to repair all of the damage done by the raptors, but she still hadn't come out of the coma, three days later.  
  
Sighing, he walked over to the far wall and leaned his back against it, allowing his head to fall back. Remy stared up at the lights in the ward and tried to figure out the one piece of the puzzle, which he still didn't understand. In an attempt to save her life, Logan had touched her, trying to transfer his powers to her, but it hadn't worked. Hardly believing what he had been seeing, he had trailed his thumb across Rogue's cheek, feeling how cold and clammy her skin felt under his touch.   
  
His touch.   
  
It had taken an act that nearly killed her for him to be able to touch her. Clenching his fist, he swung his arm forward, allowing it to fall back hard against the wall. A split second after she passed out, Logan had tried to touch her again, this time his powers were slightly drained, helping Rogue's body to begin to heal. But the mere touch of her skin, as deathly as it may have been, felt like a piece of heaven, taking him back to the time when trapped in Antarctica they had been able to finally show their true emotions.  
  
The sound of the door opening drew him from his thoughts, opening his eyes he found Logan lounging against the doorframe.  
  
"Any change?"  
  
Remy could hear the concern underneath the growl of the man's voice. Though Logan wasn't known for his displays of affection, he did care for Rogue. He'd admitted that he liked to think of Rogue as a younger sister; one that constantly got into one scrap or another and needed someone to keep her straight.   
  
"Not yet." Remy pushed away from the wall and moved back to the chair positioned next to Rogue's bed. He found himself reaching out to brush a wayward strand of hair from her face, but he stopped himself short, biting his bottom lip as he placed his elbows on his knees and cradled his head in his hands.  
  
Logan took a long look at the young woman lying in the hospital bed. "Don't worry, Gumbo. She's been through worse and made it out alive." Rapping his fist up against the doorframe, Logan pushed away from the room, the sound of his boots echoing down the hall.   
  
As Logan's heavy footsteps grew fainter, Remy returned his attention back to Rogue. Leaning over to the bed, he placed his lips next to her ear. "Rogue, chere, come back to me."  
  
If it hadn't been for the fact that he had been hovering over her, he would have missed the small flutter of her eyes. Red eyes widened with joy as he leaned close to her again and called her name. Intently, Remy watched as the muscles on her face pinched together, like she was mad at something. He looked down at her one more time, before making his way over to the intercom on the wall.   
  
***************  
  
"Fascinating... And yet, hardly reassuring."  
  
Dr. Hank McCoy flipped through one of the notebooks that Remy had brought back from the abandoned lab in Antarctica. Mixed within the yellowed pages where a number of experiments; failed experiments. It was a complete scientific journal, with the scribbled notes of Magnus himself.  
  
Detailed on each page were all of the processes that he had attempted to save Rogue's life. There was mention of genetic mutations, gene splicing, DNA cloning, infusions, transfusions...the list continued on. The last entry in the book talked about defeat in everything he had tried so far.  
  
The subject's blood showed no response to the antibodies. Other methods have also failed in a attempt to change the mutated DNA sequence, only to have the sequence begin replicating faster than its initial state. Due to our trials, the subject's life expectancy has been decreased from the estimates established at the beginning of the procedures. It's in everyone's best interest that further attempt to stop the progression of the subject's powers to be halted, for fear of causing more damage.  
  
Lying the book down on his desk, Hank pulled the glass off his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. Nothing. There was nothing in the journals that could help him determine what to do about Rogue out of control powers. Magnus had tried every new and experimental procedure to try and reverse the mutation in Rogue's DNA, but he ended up hurting her more than helping her; that much could be seen in tone the notes.  
  
Hank's eyes roamed around the room. The lab was full of all the newest scientific developments, but he wasn't sure that even those could hold the key to saving Rogue's life.   
  
A shrill noise broke the choking silence in the lab. Reaching over to the intercom, Hank pressed the blinking red button. "Yes?"  
  
"She's wakin' up."  
  
Remy's voice was a mix of hopefulness and concern as it came across the intercom. It pained Hank to hear his friend's distress. "Have her vital signs been stable?"  
  
"The entire time."  
  
"Okay, I'll be up in a few minutes."   
  
Turning to the keyboard, Hank saved the typed notes he had been compiling on Rogue's condition and possible solutions. With a few clicks of the mouse, the computer began to shut down. The feet of the chair screamed against the tiled floor as he pushed away from his desk, leaving Magnus' notebooks lying in a helpless pile next to the computer.   
  
Hank grabbed his lab coat off the back of the wooden chair and made his way across the room, turning off all the lights along his way. Just as he was about to pull the door closed behind him, the lab was filled with a soft blue light. His eyebrows came together in a puzzled look as he looked back at his desk, finding the monitor and computer booting up.  
  
Sighing, Hank moved back into the darkened room to turn off the computer. Taking the mouse in his hand, he clicked on the 'Start' icon, followed by the 'Shut Down' command. A prompt appeared on the screen, giving him a selection of options; either to 'Restart' or 'Shut Down.'  
  
Like a storm during the summertime, the idea burst down on him.   
  
Leaving the computer hanging for an answer to it's question, Hank rushed out of the lab and headed down the corridor in the direction of the medical wing.  
  
****************  
  
Bright lights greeted her semi-opened eyes. The room swam around her like the murky waters of the Mississippi, as she tried to push herself up into a seated position.   
  
"Did somebody get the name of that truck that hit me?"  
  
A familiar chuckle drifted across the room; it sounded like music to her ears.   
  
"It wasn't no truck that hit ya, chere. A big fat lizard, but no truck."   
  
The same voice that had pulled her out of her dream, now teased her during her worst hour.  
  
Slowly turning her head, Rogue glanced towards the doorway. "Watch it, Cajun. Once Ah'm back on my feet, ya better be ready for a serious ass kickin'."   
  
Instead of fighting back with words, like he was known for, Remy sent her a lazy smile that seemed to say 'I'd like to see you try.' She couldn't seem to stop herself from smiling back.  
  
Neither one of them said a word after the exchange; neither of them wanted to. There was so much to be said, but yet, none of it could be put into words. Instead, they communicated with their eyes, letting each other see what the other was trying to so hard to say. The silence of the room wrapped around both of them like a comfortable blanket; a security blanket.  
  
It was how Logan, Hank and the Professor found them when they entered the room.   
  
"Looks like this is turning into a regular party. Did anyone bring the chips and dip, because Ah'm starving!"   
  
Her attempt at light humor seemed to fall flat on its face. No one laughed, they all looked at her with grim expressions. "Come on, it's not that bad." She motioned over her body. "Just a couple of bumps and bruises, nothing to be concerned about."  
  
Logan sent her a look that made her feel like a child that had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Wincing, she turned to the Professor, looking for some sign in his face that things were going to be okay. Her heart sunk lower in her chest when he locked his gaze with hers, and in his mind's eye told her not to fear what was about to be said.  
  
"Okay, Hank." Remy started as he moved to Rogue's bedside. "Tell me that the journals I brought back are goin' be of some help to ya."  
  
Clearing his throat, Hank turned to address them. "I'm afraid not my friend. However, the answer is simple."  
  
Rogue ran a hand through her bangs, careful not to knock out the IV. "What's 'simple' Hank?" Her eyes lit up. "Do ya have a cure?"  
  
She watched him nod, but it was the look in his eyes that didn't have her jumping off the hospital bed jumping with joy. It was a pained look, one that made Rogue realize that she wasn't going to like his answer.   
  
Taking a deep breath, she glanced at Remy standing beside her. She wanted to reach out and take hold of the hand that he was offering her, but not knowing where her powers stood at that moment, she was content to clasp them together in her lap, and let her fingernails dig into her skin. Rogue tried to keep the anxiety out of her voice. "Hank?"  
  
There was a pregnant pause before her friend looked at her with sorrowful eyes.   
  
"We let you die." 


End file.
